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Eclipse/Chapter 8
Chapter description :Jaypaw hears Daisy exclaiming for her kits, and he feels annoyed, wondering if Daisy only cares about them and not her Clanmates. Jaypaw thinks it is obvious that she is not Clanborn, and reflects back to Firestar's announcement of WindClan's prey stealing, which had led Daisy to fear for her kits' safety. Thornclaw insists that they must teach WindClan a lesson about boundaries, and Dustpelt adds that he hopes he meets Onestar in battle, as he had stolen from ThunderClan too many times. :Mousefur paces outside the elders' den, musing that WindClan had changed so much ever since Tallstar was leader. Firestar orders extra patrols, including a predawn one. Jaypaw feels waves of anxiety through Firestar, and he feels anger at WindClan. He wonders how Onestar could make thieves out of his Clan, as they were a Clan of warriors. :Jaypaw goes back to the medicine den, noting that Leafpool is absent. He is secretly relieved, since they had argued vehemently and they had only spoken to each other when necessary after that. He still wonders why she had been so desperate on making Cinderpaw a warrior, as the gray she-cat still lays in their den, a reminder of the two medicine cats' quarrel. Jaypaw hears Cinderpaw asking for water, and he crossly tells her she can drink from the pool herself. Cinderpaw then begs, and Jaypaw is annoyed that she is begging even though she is so close to being a warrior. He snaps at her that her leg will be fine, but only if she uses it. :Cinderpaw asks what will happen if it is not, and as she speaks, Jaypaw's mind fills with swirls of images and noises. He sees himself on a stretch of grass near a Thunderpath, and monsters are running near him. One then breaks away from its path, and although he struggles to free himself, he simply cannot. Pain floods him, and his world turns black. He then opens his eyes to see a medicine den, and spots Bluestar and Yellowfang talking together. His leg feels useless, and he sees a very young Firestar over him. Firestar tells him that he is doing great, but then tells him he will never be a warrior. Jaypaw suddenly realizes that he is reliving Cinderpelt's memory. :Jaypaw is knocked out of memories, saying that he thought Cinderpaw did not know. Cinderpaw is puzzled, and asks him what he is saying. Jaypaw begins to talk about Cinderpelt, but Leafpool enters at that very moment, asking what is going on. Jaypaw feels anger and fear from Leafpool, and tells her that Cinderpaw knows about her past life as Cinderpelt. Leafpool hisses to him that she does not know, and she must never know. Jaypaw exclaims that she remembered, and Leafpool tells Cinderpaw to not worry, as Jaypaw was just wondering if Cinderpelt would use a different remedy for her leg. Jaypaw, furious, wonders why Leafpool is so determined to keep Cinderpaw's past life a secret. :Cinderpaw whispers that she knows Leafpool could never make it better, and asks if she will ever be a warrior. Leafpool tells her she needs to rest, and asks Jaypaw if he can bring the injured apprentice some water. Jaypaw begrudgingly obeys, but thinks that if Leafpool spoils her like this, she will never get better. He brings the water to Cinderpaw, and leaves to sit outside the medicine den to clear his mind and his anger towards his mentor. Leafpool comes to check on him, and Jaypaw snaps at her that he thought she would be fussing over her patient. Leafpool apologizes for being short with him, but adds that Cinderpaw must never find out about her past life. Jaypaw asks her why she cannot be, and Leafpool replies that it is not fair, as she cannot be influenced by it. :Jaypaw argues that she is influenced by it, as she does not treat Cinderpaw's siblings, Honeypaw and Poppypaw, like she treats her. He adds that every time she goes near Cinderpaw, her thoughts are filled with Cinderpelt. As he speaks, he realizes that Leafpool is thinking about Cinderpelt, and Jaypaw snaps that she is doing it again. He tells her that Cinderpelt's death was not her fault, and Leafpool disagrees, saying that it would not have happened if she had not left her Clan. Fog clouds her thoughts as she snaps at Jaypaw that he cannot keep reading her mind, as it is not fair. Her apprentice tells her that he cannot help it, as it "just happens." Leafpool tells him that nothing ever "just happens" with him. :The gray tabby tom asks her what that is supposed to mean, and Leafpool does not give him a concrete response. She explains to Jaypaw that StarClan had sent Cinderpelt back to live the life she had wanted - as a warrior of ThunderClan, and she wants to make sure it happens. Jaypaw asks her why she is letting her patient lie in her nest like a cripple, and she replies that she does not want her to suffer. Jaypaw snaps that she has given up on her, as Cinderpaw is too scared to move, and Leafpool is too scared to make her. His mentor hisses that it is not true, and Jaypaw asks why she would not go in there and tell her to fetch her own water. Leafpool replies that she does not know if it would help her or harm her. :Jaypaw is dumbfounded how his mentor could have lost so much faith in her own judgement. He reminds Leafpool that it is only Cinderpaw's muscles that are hurt, and she says that she was wrong last time. She whispers that she had failed Cinderpaw, and she had failed StarClan. Frustrated, Jaypaw asks her if she always gives up so easily. He adds that he thought this mattered to her, but it seems as if it did not matter enough. He does not wait for her reply, and leaves camp, wanting to get as far away from Leafpool as he can. :Jaypaw ends up at the lake, and looks for his stick. However, he realizes that the lake had taken his stick. He attempts to grab it, but he feels Firestar pulls him back. Firestar asks him what he is doing, and Jaypaw cannot explain. He says that he needs to get his stick, and Firestar asks him if it is the one near the bank. Jaypaw confirms, and says it matters very much. Firestar agrees to get it, and Jaypaw hears Firestar leap into the lake. He hears the wood in the flame colored tom's mouth, and is relieved to know that he had retrieved it. Firestar heaves the stick out of the lake and towards Jaypaw, who thanks him fervently. Firestar asks him if he wants to bring it to camp for him, and Jaypaw denies the offer, knowing that this is his secret that he has to keep. :Firestar replies that the stick is safe now, and comments on the unusual scratches. He asks Jaypaw if he had put it there, and Jaypaw replies that he had not. Firestar does not ask any more questions, and instead leads the medicine cat apprentice back home. Jaypaw looks back at the stick, whispers goodbye, and follows Firestar. He tries to read the ThunderClan leader's thoughts, wanting to find out what Firestar knew about the prophecy he was involved in. However, his mind is impossible to read, and instead, he asks about Cinderpaw. Jaypaw remembers his vision, that Firestar had been the one to tell Cinderpelt she would not be a warrior. He feels pity for his grandfather, as Cinderpaw's injury must have reminded him of his old apprentice. Firestar asks if she will be okay, and Jaypaw replies that she is in a lot of pain, and it is hard to examine how serious the wound is. :Firestar murmurs that her name must bring bad luck, leaving Jaypaw with half a mind to tell him that Cinderpaw did not just share Cinderpelt's name, but her spirit as well. The two travel home in silence, and are greeted by Leafpool, who demands if Jaypaw is okay. Firestar answers for him, saying that they met in the woods and walked home together. Leafpool orders Jaypaw to come with her, as they must fetch mouse bile for a tick Daisy has. Jaypaw wonders if she is still mad about their quarrel earlier, and then thinks about how the lake had almost taken his stick. He then recalls how he had been trying to retrieve the stick, and remembers the feeling of him floating in the water. He stops, and Leafpool asks him what the matter is. Jaypaw replies nothing, but he has an idea forming in his head. :The two hear a yelp, and Honeyfern exclaims that her sister, Poppyfrost, had a thorn prick her eye. Graystripe exclaims that he thought he weaved them all in, and Leafpool hurries over to treat the tortoiseshell she-cat. Jaypaw ignores the current injury, and rushes to the medicine den to see Cinderpaw. He tells her that in order to fix her leg, she must swim. Cinderpaw exclaims that she cannot swim, and Jaypaw tells her that she can learn, just like RiverClan cats do. Cinderpaw asks how she will learn, and he replies that he will teach her. :Cinderpaw says that Leafpool will comment that they are crazier than hares. Jaypaw tells her that they will not tell Leafpool, adding that she will be surprised when she sees her walking on four legs. He tells Cinderpaw that they will start swimming tomorrow, and Cinderpaw agrees, but only if she does not drown first. Characters Major *Cinderpaw *Leafpool }} Minor *Rosekit *Toadkit *Dustpelt *Thornclaw *Mousefur *Firestar *Bluestar *Yellowfang *Birchfall *Poppyfrost *Honeyfern *Graystripe }} Mentioned *Onestar *Cinderpelt *Sorreltail }} Mistakes *Jaypaw accidentally calls Poppyfrost and Honeyfern by their apprentice names, when they are already warriors. Notes and references Category:Eclipse Category:Chapter subpages Category:Power of Three arc